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ARCHBALD - It is what motivates each member of the Abington Heights girls track and field team each spring.

Since 2007, winning is all the Lady Comets have known in the Lackawanna Track Conference.

After another strong effort in a 119-32 win over Valley View on Tuesday, their dual-meet winning streak stands at 47 and counting.

"I think it definitely motivates us and it brings us closer together as a team," said Abington Heights senior hurdler Isabelle Clauss, who won the 100-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles and was part of the winning 1,600 relay. "When we do win and as we keep this streak going, it makes it so much more enjoyable to be a part of.

"It's really special."

Abington Heights (3-0) has a galaxy of individual stars that combine to form one of the most complete teams in the conference.

With Tessa Barrett, a national and state champion, headlining the team and manning the distance races, the Lady Comets supporting cast also feeds off the chase of the winning streak that it is closing in: the area girls record of 69 set by Carbondale Area in the early 1980s.

It has also led to seven straight division titles heading into this season.

The streak began with the first meet of the 2007 season and it is a tradition that the athletes are building upon.

Nicole Smith, a former All-Region performer who was a key member of the team that started everything, has now joined coach Frank Passetti's staff, and she is passing down her passion for the program onto this generation.

"This streak means a lot to me," Smith said. "Now I am on the other side as a coach. It's important to me and I want it to be important to them. I want to keep encouraging them to understand that it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifices to get these wins and keep this thing going."

Abington Heights does take great pride in the streak. Erin Jaeger has been a mainstay for four seasons and has matured from an up and coming star to team leader. She helped the Lady Comets to the win over the Cougars with victories in the 800 and as part of the 3,200 relay and the 1,600 relay.

"This is really incredible," Jaeger said. "We are like one big happy family. We all push each other so much. That is how we continue to improve every meet."

Abington Heights also wins with depth. Many of the athletes see their toughest competition in practice.

In the two hurdles events where Clauss was the winner, Abby McMinn came in second. In the long and triple jumps, freshman Allyson Derry won and McMinn was again second.

"It's really good to know that your work pays off," McMinn said. "We get to a meet and we see it in the wins. It's awesome that we can compete against each other and that we get along so well."

And their success feeds into those who are challenging the top stars. Jen Burke, who followed Barrett in the 1,600, continued to have success in the 3,200 by winning in a time of 12 minutes, 1 second.

Carly Danoski grabbed a win in the 400, Alyssa McMinn won the shot put and discus, Mia Gurganus won the pole vault and the Lady Comets won the 3,200 relay and 1,600 relay.

"We always work so hard in practice and in meets and the streak is very important to us, but our ultimate goal is to get a lot of people to districts and states," Burke said. "It's a nice thing that we have going here though."

All of that talent helped the Lady Comets come away with a win in a meet where Valley View's Carli Lucke also stole a little bit of the spotlight with wins in the 100, 200 and in the 400 relay.

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